The Regina Chronicles
by ConfusedColumbia26220
Summary: A detailed account of Regina's entire life, starting at her birth in the Enchanted Forest. This will likely be the first of an incredibly long series. This first installment will focus on Regina's childhood, with very few ships. Focus is heavily on family dynamics. I will give each the same warning: If there is any single thing that triggers you, stay away, it's probably in here.
1. Chapter 1

"Just keep breathing, my Lady. It's almost time," soothed the midwife as she held a damp cloth to the forehead of the noble woman in labor. "Your son will be here, soon."

Henry's hand was being crushed in a vice grip, but he didn't mind. His only hope was for both wife and child to survive the birth. There has already been a miscarriage in their marriage, and to make it so close to the finish line only to have something go wrong, experience another loss – that would be unthinkable.

"Oh!" exclaimed the mid-wife upon another glance between widely parted legs. "He's crowning! You can push now, my Lady."

She screamed and grunted with the effort and the pain of tearing. It was quite possibly the most exhausting thing she had ever endured.

"You're doing great, my love," Henry murmured encouragingly. He pressed kisses to the slender fingers that were currently squeezing the life out of his hand. As a reward for his sentiment, he was on the receiving end of a stern glare. He sighed, knowing his wife wasn't very fond of expressions of affection or terms of endearment. He had thought, though, if there were any time he could get away with it, it would be the present moment.

"Deep breaths, my Lady, deep breaths. Easy, easy… You are quite the strong woman, my Lady. Shouldn't be too much longer now. Push again," the midwife continued coaching. She had good reason to do her job as well as she could, as successfully birthing babes of nobility came with a reward hefty enough to make a decent living for an entire small family.

Minutes passed before a strong wail was heard, announcing the new arrival, with apparently very strong lungs. The midwife helped extract the babe the rest of the way when he was already nearly out from the combination of his own and his mother's efforts. She snipped the umbilical cord, then let out a gasp of surprise.

"Congratulations, Your Majesties, you have a daughter!"

An exasperated scoff came from the bed as the woman gave up all attempts to see the baby, allowing her body to go limp and relax from the recent effort instead.

The midwife cleaned up the baby, making her presentable. "Won't you like to hold her, my Lady?"

"A daughter is of no use to me!" spat the new mother bitterly. "What am I possibly supposed to do with a girl?"

"I am not high enough in the line of succession for it to matter whether I have a son or daughter, you know that." Henry pulled his hand away from his wife's. He looked at the midwife. "I'll take her." He was excited to meet his newborn.

Even as the girl was wrapped in cloth, then passed into her father's arms, she hadn't stopped crying.

"Take her away from me!" barked the mother. "She's too loud."

Henry looked at the midwife questioningly.

"This is a rather normal reaction," the midwife reassured him. "My Lady and her body have just been through quite the ordeal, my Prince. She needs rest, time to heal. Some quiet will help."

As honest and trustworthy as the midwife's words sounded, Henry suspected otherwise of his wife. She was disappointed to not have a son. Perhaps she even resented their daughter for it. In that moment, Henry felt himself falling out of love with his wife and a deep love for his daughter grew in its place. "Will you at least name her, Cora?"

* * *

Henry informed his father, King Xavier, of the news of his daughter's arrival.

"A daughter!" exclaimed the King. "How absolutely delightful for you!"

"I don't think my wife would be in agreement," Henry confided.

"Oh? Why is that?"

"She wouldn't hold her," Henry told him. "Wouldn't even look at her. The midwife said it was an ordinary reaction, but she had great interest in seeing the baby until she heard it was not the son she was expecting. So, I have come to ask you for a favor, Father."

"What do you need, son?"

"Could you consider bestowing upon my wife a higher ranking title? That may please her enough to soften the blow, allow for a much happier life for your newest granddaughter. Nothing too excessive, 'Princess' should suffice."

"Consider it done, Henry. I do so look forward to meeting the newest addition to our family."

* * *

A sizable crowd had gathered for the naming ceremony. Visitors from other Kingdoms, immediate and extended family, as well as select servants, including the midwife that had helped bring her into the world. When everyone had finished gathering and the chatter died down to a respectful silence, King Xavier approached his daughter-in law, who was holding his granddaughter in her arms. "Princess Cora," he projected his voice while speaking the new title. "Please." He made a sweeping gesture with his arm, a silent instruction to take her place by his son to make the announcement.

Cora was dressed in an elegant gown, hair piled atop her head in a fancy, regal style, complete with a tiara adorning her head. She held her daughter in her arms, whom had been dressed in a gorgeous custom designed white dress. She approached her husband, looking out at the sizable crowd, thankful that the girl was quiet for this very important event.

On the other side of Cora was King Xavier. "Tell me, daughter," he requested. "What's her name?"

Cora held her daughter in her arms in a way that allowed the crowd to see her face, as well as the King. "Her name is Regina," Cora announced. She lifted the girl higher, holding her just below her own head. "For one day, she will be Queen." As everyone, including the King and the Prince bowed, she held the girl even higher in the air, arms extending above her head for a moment before slowly lowering her to settle naturally in her arms once again. She swayed the slightest bit with baby Regina in her arms, standing tall as she observed the still bowing crowd, soaking in all the hard-earned respect she had always deserved. She glanced down at the babe in her arms, finally understanding what she could do with a girl.

Princess Cora could achieve her own second chance through Regina.


	2. Chapter 2

"For goodness sakes, Henry, quit coddling the girl so much!" Cora barked.

Henry looked at his wife incredulously. "Coddling? Regina's one month old." He kissed the top of her head, patting her back.

"Too young to be useful. The wet nurse can attend to her needs. We needn't be bothered."

"Cora, she is our child! We are her parents. We're meant to love, nourish, and guide her ourselves. If she is to be Queen one day, why not start treating her like one now? Or like a Princess, at least."

Cora scoffed. "She'll never learn anything about life in this world if we do that, Henry." She wrenched Regina away from her father's protective arms, which caused the infant to cry. She walked briskly away, calling for the wet nurse.

Henry was left staring after his wife in shock. He wondered when it was that he had lost the control of his own life. "I don't understand why you won't let me take care of our daughter, Cora, especially because you don't want to yourself!" He was enraged, but he knew there was absolutely nothing he could do to change or better the situation. To be honest, he was a little afraid of his wife. If she had the power to spin straw into gold, who knew what else she could possibly do?

* * *

Henry was delighted to be the only one present when Regina first babbled, "Dada," at seven months old. Cora was out shopping for even more new dresses, as she just absolutely had to have the latest fashions despite her wardrobe being over full already. With her off on her mission of self-indulgence, however, Henry had the freedom to relieve the staff assigned to tend to the mundane necessities of raising an infant. He lifted his daughter out of her cradle, hugging her close to his chest. He was absolutely beaming.

"That's right," he murmured proudly. "I'm your Dada, and your Dada loves you so very much." He dropped little kisses all over her face, wherever he could reach. The squeal of a laugh that earned him was music to his ears and warmed his heart. "You are my most precious treasure. Did you know that, little one?" He lightly tickled her small feet. These stolen moments with his daughter were what he lived for.

Whilst no one else was around and the need arose, Henry was glad to change Regina's soiled linens for some fresh and clean ones. He embraced every single angle of fatherhood whenever he was able, even the unflattering ones – perhaps especially the unflattering ones. He wanted to be present enough that Regina understood who he was in her life. As long as Cora was distracted by her own frivolous whims on a regular basis, it couldn't be too difficult a goal for Henry to achieve.

How old would Regina have to be before Cora considered her to be useful, Henry wondered. How old would Regina have to be for Cora to finally start acting like a mother?

* * *

For Regina's first birthday, it was one of those times that Cora pretended to care about being a mother, as the festivities would be spent in the public eye, which was an excellent opportunity to show off her new favorite dress.

Instead of putting on her little white shoes like she was supposed to, Regina picked one of them up and threw it across the room. The shoe hit a wall, making the portrait hanging on it fall to the floor. Not liking the loud noise it made, Regina began to wail and sob loudly.

As soon as Henry heard the cries, he wanted to sweep her up into his arms and soothe her. She shouldn't have to cry like that on her birthday. He hustled to the room, but Cora had been closer and had gotten to her first.

"What did you do, Regina?" Cora snarled. She looked between the girl and the wall where the portrait had fallen. She hoisted Regina up. "Naughty girl. You'll learn not to throw anything quite soon." With that, she delivered a sharp smack to her bottom.

That was the moment Henry reached them. "Cora!"

Not paying her husband any mind, Cora brought her hand down again. "Someone has to teach her a lesson, some manners. She'll learn." Again. She reared her hand back to deliver a fourth, but Henry swept in to steal Regina away from her.

"It's her birthday!" he hissed at his wife, whom at this point was very much only in name. "Her very first birthday, and there are going to be a great many guests to celebrate it."

"Then you should be thankful I am teaching her before she throws silverware at someone's eye."

The absurdity of the statement might have made Henry laugh if he weren't so angry at what he had just witnessed. "That is highly unlikely to have ever happened, let alone on her first birthday. She is only one year old, Cora. What are you going to do if she can't be still and quiet for the family painting?"

"Keeping her still and quiet will be your job for that," Cora answered simply.

Henry lightly bounced Regina in attempt to calm her down. "I don't want to see you until the guests have arrived," he bluntly told Cora. "And Regina has outgrown those shoes. They haven't fit for several weeks now." He carried Regina away, hoping he could assuage the justly terrified girl's fears and hurt.

In private chambers, Henry checked to be sure Regina didn't sustain any injuries. He felt a lump in his throat and tears burned in his eyes. It wasn't until Regina had finally calmed that he allowed his tears to fall, feeling his heart breaking for his little girl. "I am so sorry, mija," he apologized. "You deserve so much better, my precious Regina."

Regina reached to him, her hand landing on his cheek as if to forgive him. Henry knew she couldn't possibly have that depth of understanding or that wide a range of emotions yet, but the touch, coincidental or not, was comforting to him all the same.

"I love you, little one." Henry sniffled. The world wasn't fair. He genuinely believed Regina deserved better than the life she currently had, but at the same time his selfish desire to be in her life prevented any true thought or plan towards giving her a better life elsewhere. He knew he couldn't just take her and hide her away from Cora, he was chained to the woman, which, sadly, unjustly, unfairly, selfishly meant Regina would remain chained to her as well.

* * *

They played their parts well, as the doting and loving completely functional family that only existed under prying eyes. There was much food to be had and many gifts to be received, many of which things Regina was not yet old enough to actually make use of. Regina was happy enough, at least, being passed around from guest to guest, many familiar as well as new faces to play with and learn. The guests were so distracted and enamored by the birthday girl that not a single one ever realized Cora was only near for the bare minimum of what was expected of her, or that Henry shadowed his daughter wherever she wound up, keeping protective watch over her.

The longest Cora held Regina was to pose for the family painting, making sure she was positioned just so. It wasn't only the longest she had held her for the duration of the party, but the longest she had ever held her in that first year of her life. If she had noticed how distraught Regina appeared the entire time, she hadn't cared.


	3. Chapter 3

"I don't even know these people, Cora," Henry protested tiredly. He knew he was always fighting a losing battle with his wife and she would always win.

"But they are royals and are looking to arrange an engagement for their son, who is second in line to inherit the throne of their kingdom! Don't you want to secure Regina's future, Henry?"

Henry sighed. "How old is this Prince turning?" he inquired.

"It will be his fourth birthday," Cora answered.

"Cora, it has only been half a year since Regina's first birthday."

"That makes him less than two and a half years older, Henry. That would not be an outrageous age difference."

"What age would a wedding be expected to happen?"

"It's too early to know, now. I would expect as soon as both are able to conceive an heir. If we're lucky, Regina will be 10, the Prince 12. However, the most realistic expectation would be when Regina is 12 and the Prince 14."

"I don't like it."

"Well, I don't want Regina to be an old maid by the time she's married like we were. The least you can do is meet them, Henry."

Forfeiting, Henry asked, "When is this birthday event?"

* * *

It was September when Henry found himself accompanying Cora and Regina to the royal birthday event of the Prince that Cora was hoping to make engagement arrangements with for Regina. By this point, Regina had enough hair to pull up into a cute, tiny ponytail. She fidgeted on her father's lap as the three rode in the carriage, playing with her stuffed horse, combing its mane.

Suddenly, as they rode over a bump, magic sparked from Regina's fingertips, animating the stuffed horse. It even made a neighing sound. Henry jolted, shocked. He looked at his wife with wide eyes. "What – What was that?"

Cora waved a hand, quickly countering Regina's weak magic with her own, reversing what it had done. "She must have been born with magic. Let me see her!" She pulled Regina roughly off of her father's lap, holding her to her own. Regina began to cry, not understanding what was going on. Cora bound her wrists together, holding them tightly together in one of her hands. Under her breath, she began murmuring an incantation that would bind, suppress Regina's magic, until she was of an appropriate age to learn how to control it.

Baffled, Henry leaned down to pick up the stuffed horse and the comb from the carriage floor, which had been dropped when Regina was suddenly grabbed by surprise. "What are you doing to her?" he asked, hearing the muttering that he couldn't understand.

"Making sure nothing like that ever happens again for a very long time," Cora answered once the incantation was complete and she could feel that Regina's powers had been successfully bound.

"Dada!" Regina wailed, reaching for him, clearly frightened.

Henry's heart broke seeing his little girl so upset. He took her back into his arms, which Cora gladly let him do. "You're alright, mija," he cooed to Regina, hoping it wasn't a lie. "Dada is right here, Regina." He wiped the little tears from her cheeks. "It's alright," he soothed in a hushed tone. "Here's your horse." He held the thankfully no longer animated stuffed horse close to Regina, who quickly took it and hugged it close while settling in her father's arms.

"I'm glad that happened before we got to the party. That would have been disastrous," Cora commented.

* * *

The party was disastrous anyway. Not only was the Prince a royal jerk to Regina and made her cry, the attempted engagement arrangement turned out to be a joke.

"I'm sorry, what did you say the bride price would be?" Cora asked.

"This really isn't a matter for wives to discuss," the King stated sharply. "Prince Henry, if you'd come talk with me privately?"

As Henry begrudgingly followed the King to a more private area, he could feel his wife's glare burning into his back. "I apologize, Princess Cora is rather eager to secure our daughter's future."

"I believe she is, as are many others here today."

"Her question was good, however. What would the bride price be?" Henry wanted to know what this King thought Regina's engagement would be worth.

"A cow and two pigs."

Henry blinked. "That's what my daughter is worth to you?"

"We have several options to choose from."

"Are you aware of my wife's… talents?" Henry asked the King covertly.

"I'm aware of her origins," the King answered snidely.

Incensed, Henry walked away from the King, deciding to let Cora deal with the matter. "A cow and two pigs," he told her, then nodded in the King's direction.

"Excuse me?!" Cora stomped her way over to the King. "Your Majesty, surely you must be joking?! My daughter is worth far more than a mere cow and a couple of pigs! Do you know how insulting that is? I can spin straw into fucking gold, and you think a cow and two pigs is a worthy bride price for an engagement?"

"I had," the King responded smugly. "However, the offer is now off the table, and your daughter will not be marrying my son, no matter how hard you should beg. Now, kindly remove yourself from this party, Your Majesty," the title was spoken in a mocking tone without respect.

"Arrrrrgh!" Cora let out in an agitated rage. How dare this King of some nobody kingdom disrespect her in such a way? She wanted to punch a wall, but she refrained. "Grab Regina, Henry," she snapped at her husband. She spun on her heel, making sure to hold her head high and walk out of the place in a regally entitled way, as if she had just done everyone a favor by gracing the party with her presence.

Henry shook his head and went off to find Regina. He was just in time to see the spoiled birthday boy of a Prince knocking her down and laughing about it with his friends that were closer to his own age.

"Dada!" Regina cried out sorrowfully. As soon as she saw him, she reached towards him with grabby hands.

Henry swept Regina up into his arms although she had the ability to walk on her own. "Ssh, you're okay now," he soothed, running a hand along her back. He pressed soft kisses to her temple. "I've got you. We're going home."

"Home?" Regina repeated, sniffling.

"Yes, mija. We're going home."

* * *

"A cow and two pigs!" Cora ranted on the carriage ride back. "What kind of fool does he take us for, anyway? You should have negotiated better, Henry. If he were only going to offer animals, no less than horses would be acceptable. But you could have pushed for so much more, Henry. You could have pushed for land, jewels, a new estate! What use are you, Henry? This has been a colossal waste of my time!"

Henry sighed heavily. Of course everything was all his fault now. It didn't matter that he hadn't been the one with the desire to attend in the first place, he had failed in acquiring what Cora had wanted, so he was naturally the one to blame. That was just the way their marriage worked, especially since Regina had been born. "That Prince was a brat, anyway. I saw him push her and laugh about it with his friends. He would have made a horrible husband. We can find another match, there's still plenty of time."

"Time to do better than a Prince second in line to the throne?" Cora scoffed. "I doubt it," she groused.

"Then perhaps it would be better to wait until she is old enough to entertain her own suitors and make her own choices in the matter of her own future," Henry suggested, despite already knowing it would be ill-received.

"You have gone absolutely daft, you fool! Mere girls can not be trusted to choose worthy husbands on their own merit."

Regina held her hands over her ears before letting out a piercing scream, not liking all the harsh tones.

"Regina!" Cora scolded. "Stop that at once!"

"Stop!" Regina projected her voice loudly. "No like!"

"Maybe we should just be quiet the rest of the ride," Henry told Cora. He was on Regina's side, fighting with Cora and listening to her nitpicking was tedious. It also couldn't be good for her to be present during such terse exchanges. He pressed kisses to the top of Regina's head, bouncing her on his knee until he successfully got her giggling again.


	4. Chapter 4

On Regina's second birthday, Henry made special efforts to make sure she stayed out of trouble. He certainly did not want a repeat of the previous year. Regina was making his task difficult, having grown more willful with age.

"Regina, sweetheart, you need to wear the dress," Henry tried reasoning with her.

"No!" Regina threw the dress on the floor before running off in nothing but her linens. She giggled mischievously as she ran.

Henry sighed and picked the dress up from the floor before jogging after her. "Regina!" he called. When he caught up to her, she was trying to strip off the linens as well. "No, no, no, those definitely stay on!"

Regina blew a raspberry at him, stamping her foot. If there was ever a time Henry felt like he was dealing with a mini Cora, it was the present moment.

"Don't you want to see your friends and Granddad?"

"Gra-da?" Regina hopped excitedly. "Where Gra-da?"

"I'll take you to see Granddad if you'll wear the dress," Henry bargained.

"Hmph." Regina crossed her arms with a pout. "No like dress."

"How about the blue dress?"

Regina shook her head. "No!"

"The green dress?" Henry tried again.

"Uh-uhn. No like."

"What about the red dress? The one with the big, pretty bow. Will you wear that one?"

Regina nodded enthusiastically after a moment. "Uh-huh!" She leapt into her father's arms.

"Oof!" Henry exaggerated Regina's weight, pretending she was heavy enough to make him stumble, which only made the toddler giggle. Soon after, he found the red dress and helped her into it. He couldn't help but smile at the way she was grinning. She was so precious. "Happy birthday, mija."

Once Regina was in her dress and her hair had been arranged into pigtail braids, Henry lead her by the hand to see King Xavier.

"There's the birthday girl!" King Xavier beamed. "My, you've gotten so big." He squatted down to be at her level. "Is that your favorite dress?"

Regina nodded enthusiastically.

"I can see why. It looks so beautiful on you. You are growing into quite the young lady."

Regina released Henry's hand to throw her arms around her Granddad's neck.

King Xavier chuckled, returning the hug. "Happy birthday, Regina."

"Have you seen my wife recently?" Henry asked his father, finding it odd that he hadn't seen Cora for hours.

King Xavier lifted Regina into his arms so he could hold her and converse at the same time. "I saw her chittering about with some highborn woman with a son younger than Regina, here. I imagine she is still trying to lock down an engagement for the little one?"

"Oh, yes," Henry answered wearily. "That seems to be her most consistent mission in this life."

"Have you discussed trying for any more children?" King Xavier asked curiously.

Henry laughed at the thought. "I think that ship has long since sailed. I'm not sure she'd even be happy with a son anymore, now that she's investing so much energy into Regina." The energy wasn't going to Regina directly, rather, trying to secure her a nice spot in the hierarchy succession of some kingdom via marriage. It didn't seem to matter which kingdom, either. The only thing that mattered, at least to Cora, was that Regina would be Queen, someday, somehow. "And Regina is enough for me. I love her with all my heart."

"She is certainly lucky to have you as her father." King Xavier kissed one of Regina's cheeks.

"And to have you as her grandfather," Henry returned the compliment to his father. He honestly wasn't sure if her other grandfather was aware of Regina's existence – or if he was even alive. He knew Cora grew up believing her mother had died in childbirth, but coming from a drunk of a father, the truthfulness of that was anyone's guess. Unfortunately, Regina's paternal grandmother had died before Regina was even thought of. Henry knew his mother would have loved her and spoiled her. He could almost imagine the constant rows she and Cora would have.

"There's my darling girl!" Cora swept in with a sing-song voice. "There are so many people just dying to meet you today, Regina! Your Highness, would you mind putting her down so she can walk with me?"

Regina clung to King Xavier, hiding her face in his chest. She even wrapped her legs around him. "Want Gra-da!"

Cora plastered on a false pleasant smile, knowing there were too many people around to reprimand Regina's insolence the way she would have liked to. "We can come back. You'll see him again," she cooed, tone syrupy sweet. "It is your birthday, after all." She glared at Henry. "And just what is she wearing?"

"What she wanted. I saw no harm, given it is her birthday," Henry answered. In his father's presence and the spectators, Henry could at least speak freely in the moment. He could be punished for it later, but it felt good watching Cora twitch with the restraint to maintain her illusion of elegant civility.

King Xavier played with one of Regina's pigtail braids. "Why don't you go with your mother for now, hm? You'll see me again, Regina."

Regina looked at him. "Pwomise?"

"I absolutely promise."

Reluctantly, Regina released her legs to signal she was ready to be put down again. "Okay," her dislike of the situation was made clear by her dejected tone.

Once Regina was standing on her own two feet, Cora grabbed her hand, pulling her along to where the noble woman was waiting, wanting to show her off. It would have made for a better impression if Regina were in the dress Cora had chosen for the day, but if Regina were on her best behavior, the fashion blunder may be excused.

"Ow!" Regina whined. "Mama, hurts!" She tried tugging her hand free, only for the grip to be tightened further.

"I'm sorry, Regina. Would you prefer I carry you?"

Something felt off, but Regina didn't understand what or why. Confused, she nodded slowly.

Cora leaned down so there was less risk of her lowly spoken words being overheard. "Too bad," she sneered, nearly nose to nose with the girl. "Not even birthday girls can have everything they want." As she straightened to her full height, she did, however, relax her grip on Regina's hand.

Still not understanding, Regina's eyes welled up in tears, blurring her vision so badly she stumbled along the path Cora was dragging her on, clinging to her hand for balance and support. Without her guidance, she would be lost.

Cora looked down at her. "You'd best not start sniveling, girl." With a discreet turn of the wrist of her free hand, she made Regina's tears and signs of upset vanish. They needed to make an excellent impression, especially since Regina was older than the boy.


End file.
